


We Could Have A Situation

by orphan_account



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Ace-Aro Dex, Alternate Universe, Fake Dating, Fluff, Future Fic, Get Together, Hard of Hearing Nursey, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pining, Platonic polyfrogs, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Sign Language, relationship assumptions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-19
Updated: 2017-03-19
Packaged: 2018-10-07 19:39:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10367931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: It would be easy to ignore, the rumours, the talk, but when the team starts believing what the Swallow prints about him and Dex, Nursey agrees to drastic measures--a fake boyfriend.  It doesn't help, however, that his fake boyfriend is one of his captains--one he happens to have a crush on, and happens to have a boyfriend.  Nursey's fairly sure he can make this work.  After all, he's not a complete disaster.  Right?  Right?!





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mxlfoydraco](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mxlfoydraco/gifts).



> This is written for one of my favourite people in the whole world for an ACLU donation, who wanted a Nursey/Ransom/Tater fic, with fake dating and loads of pining. I hope this is what you envisioned. I had way too much fun with this ship and want to write like 100 more fics with it.
> 
> Notes- Although it's written in English grammar, Nursey and the others use sign grammer, not signed English. There are comments about societal ace and aro erasure in this regarding Dex's character, so be aware of that if that's triggering for you.

Nursey hadn’t noticed much in a while apart from the gentle vibrating thrum of Lardo’s music—it was too low a tone for him to hear without his aids on, but it was a pleasant feeling in his knees which rested on the floor in front of the small table they were working at. The paintbrush in his hand felt nice, weighty since it was definitely on the expensive side—and he appreciated for all that he was absolutely clumsy, she still didn’t shy away at letting him use the good shit.

Even if the paint was cheap.

He’d seen the idea on his mum’s pinterest. Using acrylic paints on the plastic bits of his hearing aids. And getting Lardo to help ensured they’d look pretty swawesome—or at least the one she was doing. The one he had going in his hand was a bit…

Well.

He didn’t hate it.

All in all, it was one of the most relaxing afternoons he’d had in a while. Especially since he was still nursing a little bit of a hangover from Friday’s impromptu kegster after their win against Princeton.

It wasn’t until a slight breeze hit him in the face from a waving bit of paper that Nursey looked up, and he realised that Holster was saying something, and waving what looked like a copy of the Swallow in his face, looking triumphant. He glanced at Lardo who sighed and leant over to turn the music down, and Holster’s voice became more pronounced.

Nursey focused on his lips in a vague attempt to piece together what he was saying, a little annoyed because Holster was one of the few who was mostly fluent in sign, but never defaulted to it.

“… told us…sin bin…so much.”

Nursey raised a brow. “What’s that, now? Could you like…chill, because I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”

“Dex.” The word was definitely pronounced clearly, and the swallow slapped down on the table, smearing a bit of paint, though he managed to save his still-wet hearing aid from smudges. His eyes flickered down, and he sighed. It was the third damn article they’d printed, accusing the two D-Men of being in a secret relationship.

Someone from the publication always seemed to be around whenever Dex was on Nursey Patrol. And Nursey was actively trying not to get so drunk and handsy, but goddamn he was young and in college and he should be allowed to let loose and even cuddle with some of his friends without being constantly accused of fucking them.

It was all heteronormative until two guys wanted to hug and then suddenly the relationship was sordid and secret, and “obvious”.

Anger burned hot and irritating, mostly because some of the team were starting to buy into it. No matter how much Nursey tried to scream that yeah, he and Dex got along better, and yeah Dex was less of a White Dude this year and yeah, they did have their rituals with hockey and they _were_ friends. But they were the sort of friends that were half enemies too, and Nursey didn’t understand why people thought that meant they were fucking, or falling in love. He wanted his partner to be his best friend, not someone who was constantly up his ass and giving him shit about everything he did.

Maybe some people liked that, but Nursey never understood those couples.

He thought his team was better than that, but with Holster’s triumphant look like he’d caught Nursey in some scandal, he realised they really weren’t. Well…Lardo seemed pretty chill. She grabbed the magazine and stared down at the photo of Nursey trying to climb onto Dex’s back and rolled her eyes.

‘Bullshit,’ she signed.

Holster snatched it away and signed sloppily with one hand, ‘Confess.’

Nursey sighed, set the hearing aid down on the table to dry, and pushed up to his feet. He gave Holster a quiet, tired look, then brushed past him and started up the attic stairs. Frankly he could have gone back to his dorm, but his roommate this term was shitty and annoying and he had a text on his phone from Ransom who had offered space in the attic any time he needed to get away.

He hadn’t used it.

Until now.

He could hear tones of Holster shouting behind him, but he ignored it in favour of climbing up, and knocking on the door, and waiting.

There was a long pause—he could feel vibrations of music under his feet which died after a moment, and the door creaked open. Ransom’s face poked into the crack, and his expression softened from irritated to concerned.

‘Ok?’

Nursey shrugged. “Can I come in?”

Ransom swung the door wide, let Nursey enter, and then shut it with a firm click. He nodded toward the bed where a handful of books were spread out. Ransom had clearly been occupying his desk, his notes all over, a few empty coffee cups interspersed, and he had that look on his face like he was seconds away from coral reef mode.

When Nursey sat, Rans lifted a hand up. ‘What’s wrong?’

“The Swallow printed some bullshit article about me and Dex. Again. And now Holster thinks that Dex and I are actually a couple. He’s probably just looking to fine us or something when we fight, but…” He flopped down, covered his face, and groaned. “It’s getting exhausted when my own fucking team won’t listen to me.”

He felt the bed dip, and Ransom’s fingers curl round his ankle. He waited a moment to look up, but eventually dropped his hands and pushed halfway up on his elbows. Ransom was watching him carefully, his face going through the motions of his usual debate between sign and speech since he was picking it up, almost fluent in spite of his full schedule. 

Frankly Nursey hadn’t expected any of the team to pick it up.

Frankly, Nursey hadn’t expected to go anywhere but Gallaudet, only his therapist—who was alright, but super audist and he hadn’t even realised it—had talked him into a “traditional” education—as though Gallaudet wouldn’t offer just as much prestige as any other damn University. And hell, if it wasn’t for hockey and the team, he probably would have left a long time ago. Andover was bad enough, really. Diverse and not as shitty as a lot of people thought it was, but he’d spent too fucking many years assimilating, and he was tired.

And now there was this. Now there were classmates, his roommates, who were “trying” on his behalf—and yeah he was grateful for what little they gave him—but they could also be shitheads.

Luckily his team was not amongst that little group of people, and here with Ransom, in the attic, he felt safe.

“Is this alright?” Ransom asked.

His voice had a decent pitch, and without background noise Nursey could make out what he was saying pretty well, so he nodded. “I’m good.”

‘Sorry,’ Ransom sighed, but continued on with his voice. “Do you want me to go down there and knock some sense into him. He’s been kind of a pain in the ass lately.”

Nursey laughed. “I mean he’s…Holster. It’s not like I expected different. But I’ve even got Chowder waggling his eyebrows at me, and Bitty the other day kind of pat me on the back and said that if there was anything I wanted to tell him, I could. Like I would be able to hide it if Dex and I were boning or whatever.”

Ransom bit his lip, then shifted onto the bed next to him. “I mean…if you dated someone…”

Nursey groaned. “Yeah. I know. It would make it like a billion times easier. But I’m not…there’s not really anyone…”

That wasn’t strictly true. Nursey had a very quiet crush, tucked inside a small box in the dark recesses of his mind labelled Justin Oluransi. He had no plans at all to take those feelings out and examine them like…ever. He knew Ransom was bisexual, but after splitting up with March, Ransom had shown interest in exactly no one, and Nursey wasn’t about to make a fool of himself assuming a guy like that would want to date him. And he was graduating at the end of the year anyway to do god knows what so…

“You should just put an ad on craigslist or some shit,” Ransom said with a small laugh. “Seeking fake boyfriend, must like dogs, or…whatever.”

Nursey bit his lip. “You know man, I’d actually go for some fake boyfriend shit. But I wouldn’t trust anyone not to sell me out or make it weird.”

With a sigh, Ransom sat back, grabbed his phone to type something, then set it back down. He said something a little too soft, and Nursey completely missed it, so he turned on his side and signed for him to repeat it.

Ransom hesitated, then lifted his hands. ‘I could help.’

Nursey blinked. ‘How?’

‘Boyfriend,’ Ransom signed, then shifted and cleared his throat. “Sorry I just…don’t know um. I’d have to check with mine first but…”

Nursey felt hot, fierce disappointment strike him in the chest, and he told himself it was from the shock of hearing that Ransom was dating someone, and not because he was dating someone that wasn’t Nursey. He wasn’t confronting those feelings, after all. He swallowed thickly and pushed himself all the way up to sitting.

“You mean like…pretending to be my boyfriend?” he clarified.

“We get along,” Ransom pointed out. “I mean it might be messed up because I’m your captain, but…whatever. It’ll get people off your back. And if you do meet someone you can just say like…you know. We broke up. No big deal.”

Nursey blinked. “Um. I mean okay yeah but…your boyfriend uh. I didn’t know you were…” He stopped, then signed, ‘Dating.’

Ransom bit his lip and shrugged. “It’s kind of new. And uh. Secret. Ish. Yeah. Well no, big secret actually but like…I don’t know. I’ll talk to him and see what he says. I don’t think he’ll care if it’s you.”

“If it’s me,” Nursey repeated, just to make sure he’d got that right. “Do I know him. Shit. Fuck. It isn’t Dex, is it?”

Ransom laughed. “Bro. No it’s not Dex, oh my god.”

Nursey flushed, but shrugged and looked away. “Whatever, I had to ask.”

Ransom touched his wrist, and he turned his head back slowly. “You know him, but I seriously can’t say. I mean he might not mind if I tell you. If we do this I uh. Yeah, I probably should tell you. Can you give me like five?”

Nursey’s heart beat hard. “Wait, you’re gonna tell him now? I mean we didn’t…I mean this is kind of a stupid plan and…”

“Chill,” Ransom said with a wry grin, and Nursey scowled. “If you don’t want to date me…I mean it’s not like we have to make out or anything, and we can just tell people we’re not into PDA because we’re broke as fuck, eh?”

Nursey couldn’t help a laugh. “No it’s not…it isn’t that…” Because holy hell it wasn’t that. It was more what getting Ransom only as pretend might do to him. But at the same time a tiny voice was saying, _well at least you’d get that_. He found himself shrugging and signing, ‘Okay.’

So he watched Ransom grab his phone and slip out. When the door shut, he laid his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes, praying that the attic would just open up to whatever spirit world was haunting the haus, and swallow him whole.

*** 

By the time Ransom actually got back to the attic, Lardo had popped in to give Nursey his hearing aids, stayed for a short chat and pointed out, “Wow, did you realise Rans took down all his Mashkov posters? Do you think he feels bad that he doesn’t have Jack on the walls?”

Nursey couldn’t stop wondering about it the entire time Ransom was gone. Was his new boyfriend jealous of his hockey crush? If Ransom fake-dated Nursey, was his new boyfriend going to be insecure? Intimidated? Would he have to deal with passive aggression and threats?

He’d rather just not do it at all and suffer through rumours and chirps and bullshit interrogations by his teammates because they were convinced that every two people who didn’t get along well were just consumed by unresolved sexual tension or…whatever. 

He really fucking hated mainstream media for making most people feel like relationships didn’t work unless you were _dramatic_ and contrary. Jesus, how exhausted did people want to be these days? Wasn’t life exhausting enough?

His head was running in circles by the time Ransom got back, and by then he’d nearly talked himself out if it. If the dude was going to be so jealous of a hockey poster he made his boyfriend take it down, Nursey knew damn well he wasn’t going to want to deal with whatever the boyfriend dished out at him.

“Hey I uh…” he began.

Ransom smiled at him. “Dude, those hearing aids are tight. Did you just do them?”

Nursey’s hand flew up to his ear and brushed it. “Oh uh. Me and Lardo? She insisted painting was a hangover cure and my mum sent me this stupid pinterest thing…” He trailed off, shrugging. “But uh. Thanks.”

Ransom laughed, easing down on the floor in front of Nursey’s calves. “So like…the boyf said it’s cool, if we want to you know. Fake this shit. As long as he knows what’s up.”

“Yeah uh. I’m starting to think maybe it’s not such a good idea. I don’t really deal well with jealousy issues and um…”

“Hey,” Ransom said, leaning forward. “Like you don’t have to be jealous or anything. He’s super cool and…”

“No,” Nursey said, shaking his head back and forth. “ _His_ issues.”

Ransom blinked, then laughed. “Bro…bro trust me he’s not…”

“Then who made you take down your Mashkov posters?”

Ransom froze, then his lips spread in an even wider grin and he laughed so hard he fell over. “Oh my god no I…oh god. Oh he’s going to fucking die when I tell him this, holy shit. No, Nurse. It’s not…he didn’t make me take them down.”

“So why?” Nursey pointed out. “I know you like him.”

Ransom went soft all over suddenly, and a little quiet. “Yeah, I _do_ like him. But it’s…kinda weird…” He hesitated, then shrugged. “It’s kinda weird to fuck him, then come home and stare at his face on my ceiling.”

It took a minute for it to sink in, then Nursey’s eyes went wide. He tried to stand, forgetting he was on a bottom bunk, and cracked his head on the side. He cried out, stumbling to the left, tripping over the desk chair, and managed to land in Ransom’s arms. Blushing hard, he shifted away.

“Fuck. You and…Mashkov?”

Ransom grinned, nodding. “Yeah uh. After Jack snuck him into that party…”

“When he showed up with the stupid fake Shitty stache?”

Ransom giggled. “Yeah. He got a little schwasty after playing with Lards and I found him outside. We started talking, then we uh. Made out. And then he was like texting me and tweeting me every day and um. Well. I mean it’s only been a couple months, but I like him.”

Nursey’s cheeks were blazing, and he carefully shifted away. Of course Ransom was with Alexei Mashkov. Someone like him…he wasn’t going to last long single. He was the sort of gorgeous that turned heads everywhere, and he was definitely the sort of guy closeted NHL players would take a risk on.

So yeah. He was not surprised.

But he realised he was also about to engage in a pretend relationship with Alexei Mashkov’s boyfriend. The dude who could pick up hockey players by the backs of their jerseys like they were little kittens. The guy who got a Twitter award for best hits in the NHL in 2016.

He was only a tiny bit terrified.

“He remembers you,” Ransom said. “You were kinda uh. Drunk. And you read him some of your poetry and he liked it. He said he feels bad about all the shit, and he wants to know if it’s okay if he follows you on Twitter.”

Nursey let out a tense laugh. “Is it okay if Alexei Mashkov follows me on Twitter. Bro. Ch’yeah that’s fine. And uh. Like. You swear he’s not going to try and like…beat my face in or something.”

Ransom laughed and reached over, pulling Nursey into a hug. “Bro. It’s going to be fine, I swear. He’s cool.”

Nursey let himself lean into the hug, just for a second. He had to wonder, truly, what Justin Oluransi’s definition of fine was.

*** 

They didn’t talk about it straight away. They had lectures, and Thanksgiving was coming up—which meant Midterms, then Winter Screw, then finals. Then winter break where they’d all trudge back home to their families for their various holidays before the whole mess started again.

And then would come graduation and Nursey was still determinedly not thinking about that.

But just before Thanksgiving the haus—or rather Holster—announced he wanted to have a small party. And Nursey knew what that meant in terms of the hockey team and get-togethers. So he prepared himself for yet another issue of the Swallow because the only one who ever really cared about Nursey Patrol was Dex—who took his job seriously, though Nursey sometimes wondered if it was solely because it would mess with the dynamics of the team if he’d hurt himself and couldn’t play.

He found himself on the bus, Chowder napping against the window with his mouth open, Nursey next to him, and Dex at the end frowning at something on his phone. Nursey’s knee was bouncing with nerves at the anticipated part, and what it might mean, and wondered if maybe he should actually speak to Dex about the whole Swallow thing.

He sighed, reaching into his bag for his aids which were rattling round their case. He normally kept them off for bus-rides, the ambient noise overwhelming to understand much conversation, and really he’d always been the worst at lipreading. But Dex was close enough, and he kept them turned down enough as he slipped them on.

“Uh. So uh…”

Dex looked over, his face dipped in a frown. “What?”

“Holster’s kind of been up my ass about the whole…those issues of the Swallow.”

He watched a pink flush under Dex’s freckles and he glanced away for a minute, composing himself. “I called their dumbass editor but the guy wouldn’t print a retraction. Like I know it’s embarrassing dating me but…”

“No,” Nursey said. “It’s not… Jesus, Poindexter, it’s not about you. It’s about the fact that we’re not dating and I think it’s a pile of shit that they’re printing articles about us. Especially since you’re…you know.” Nursey was one of the few people who knew Dex was ace-aro. He and Chowder were the first people Dex had come out to, and some of the only, really. “Like if it’s easier to just let them assume…”

“It’s probably like…cramping your style, or whatever,” Dex grumbled.

Nursey felt his cheeks heat up. That wasn’t it. Exactly. “Um. I have a boyfriend.”

Dex’s eyes widened. “Shit. I…didn’t know. Look, I’ll call them again and…”

Nursey shook his head. “I just…think we’re going to tell people soon.” Nursey hoped. Nursey wanted to talk to Ransom later about it, after the game, maybe. Before the party. “And we never talked about the bullshit going on so…”

Dex knocked his knee into Nursey’s and offered a small grin. “Well way to not tell your best friend about you getting regularly laid.”

Nursey flipped him off, then pulled his hearing aids out again. The background noise was triggering a headache, and he put his head back, sighing. ‘Sorry. We wanted to keep it quiet.’

‘It’s fine,’ Dex said, and the sincere expression on his face matched the sincerity of his signs.

He felt a little better now. And only hoped that Ransom hadn’t changed his mind.

*** 

They won the game. It was unexpected, since the Warriors were the favoured team. They took it to OT and Bitty scored in the shootout. Chowder managed to block all the Warrior’s goals, and the celly was beautiful.

Murray let them go out for a few drinks after, before boarding the bus home since they weren’t staying that night, and he crept over to an empty row of seats, catching Ransom’s eye before lowering himself down.

It took a little while, but Ransom eventually extracted himself from Holster’s heavy arms and loud snores, and settled next to Nursey against the window. ‘What’s up?’

Nursey licked his lips, then glanced round to make sure they couldn’t be seen. ‘I told Dex I have a boyfriend,’ he confessed, keeping his signing space small. ‘I was thinking…before the party…’

Ransom nodded. ‘Yeah. I wanted to tell you A is coming for Thanksgiving,’ Ransom signed, and Nursey could only assume A was Alexei. ‘We’re still not telling anyone, but Jack invited him.’ His signs were slow and sloppy, but he was practising harder and harder.

Nursey bit his lip, but nodded. ‘That’s fine. I figure we can just…keep it quiet. No bullshit.’

Ransom knocked his elbow into Nursey. ‘I’ll pay your fines.’

Nursey rolled his eyes and laughed, but startled when Ransom snuggled in, laying his head on Nursey’s shoulder. “Uh. You can get back to Holtzy if you want.”

Ransom looked up at him, then smiled, quiet and a little shy, and very sweet. “I’m good here. If you don’t mind.”

Nursey swallowed thickly, shook his head, and settled in for the long ride home. “No,” he said into the quiet of the bus. “I don’t mind.”

*** 

The party was less epic than Epikegsters, but it was still loud, and overwhelming with too many people, dim lights, and loud music. Nursey always felt a bit lost at these things, really. People were drunk, he couldn’t understand a word anyone was saying, and alcohol made everyone forget he had to work twice as hard as everyone else just to understand a handful of words.

But Ransom was glued to his side this time, not letting go, filling in the blanks when Nursey was confused. They were getting a little buzzy on beer—avoiding the tub juice even though it was made to Shitty’s standards. It was warm with all the bodies in the haus, and the music was thumping.

‘Dance?’ Ransom asked.

Nursey blinked. “With me?” he asked.

Ransom laughed. ‘With my boyfriend. The Swallow guy is here.’

Nursey glanced round, and didn’t see anyone, but he trusted Ransom was right. So it was now or never, all or nothing, and every other bullshit cliché which meant he was signing his heart away to a guy who had a super hot NHL boyfriend, and would never want Nursey anyway.

But it was what it was.

He let Ransom drag him to the dance floor and didn’t know whether he should thank all the gods or curse them for how good Ransom was at dancing. He had Nursey by the hips, and guided him with the rhythm of the thrumming beat Nursey could feel directly in his sternum. The lights were so low it was hard to follow Ransom’s half-signs, but it didn’t matter. Their fingers met, then broke apart, then met again. Ransom tugged him close, then pushed him away to grab his hips and grind.

Nursey was half hard and near sobbing and desperate to get away, but desperate to stay.

He hated every second of this.

And he loved it.

He was in a state of near euphoria when it happened. Ransom had him by the hips, then his hands were gripping him by the ribs and spinning him and his mouth was moving but it was too dark to see what he was saying. But his hands were moving again, one up to his cheek, cupping it softly, thumb brushing the corner of his mouth.

He was nodding yes, like he knew what Ransom was asking, and frankly at that moment he’d have said yes to anything at all.

Then he was being kissed. Nothing obscene, the bare part of lips, a hint of tongue pressed to his lips before it drew away. Ransom had him pushing back in the crowd, up against the wall, the slow dance of their mouths before it was suddenly over.

Nursey was flushed and confused and his head was spinning. It must have shown on his face enough, because Ransom tangled their fingers together, and pushed past the yellow tape blocking off the party-goers from the rest of the haus, and before long they were in the attic.

‘Okay?’ Ransom asked.

Nursey’s ears were ringing and his head felt stuffy, and his lips were tingling. He barely registered the signs, and it took him a moment to answer. ‘What was that?’

‘The guys from the Swallow.’

Of course. Of course it was the guys from the Swallow. It hadn’t been the music or the mood or the moment, or Ransom wanting any part of this. It had been for how. It had been what Nursey asked for but still…

“I should go,” he said, flustered and hurt and feeling so stupid because really, this was all his fault. He had known and he’d let himself go there anyway. Now Ransom had kissed another man—he was in a relationship and he’d kissed another man, and Nursey couldn’t claim innocence or even really a partnership in this because he’d wanted it.

He heard the faint sounds of Ransom calling after him, but he ignored it and rushed through the haus, and he was gone.

*** 

He stayed gone for two days. Two days missing practise and ignoring texts. He saw his lights flashing when someone had come to push the buzzer at his door, but he resolutely kept his eyes shut until the person was gone. He later learnt it was Chowder, worried, but not frantic just yet.

It was on the morning of the third day that Nursey got the message on his phone. A twitter DM, sat quiet and unassuming, and horrifying.

**@amashkov91: You are okay? Justin telling me you not answering door, not answering texts. We are not talking yet, but he worry so I worry. You needing to talk, kotyenok?**

He stared at it for thirty minutes before he could bring himself to answer, and when he did, it was sheer instinct that moved his fingers rather than logic or propriety.

**@yochillbrah93: Are you in Providence? You wouldn’t be free for coffee, would you?**

He was already scrambling for his aids, and his hoodie, and his car keys. He felt his phone buzz, and only briefly glanced at the return message. It was from Alexei, it was an address to a café, and several eyeless smiley faces.

**@amashkov91: See you in one hour.**

*** 

Nursey was a shaking mess by the time he arrived at the café. His GPS had not led him astray, something he found himself wishing for halfway to Providence. He wasn’t entirely sure what he was thinking, and he was half expecting to see Ransom at the café along with his boyfriend, crossed arms, angry expression, accusing Nursey of trying to move in on his territory.

Instead he found Alexei Mashkov—of the Providence Falconers—sat at a window table with a large cappuccino mug between his massive hands. He gave Nursey a wave as he walked up, and waited patiently for Nursey to order a lavender tea—hoping against hope it would calm his nerves a little because he realised he was there to confess to kissing this man’s boyfriend.

And liking it.

“Is table okay?” Alexei asked as Nursey eased himself down. “Justin telling me maybe is too loud, with café noises. You not here. Am working on some things…” Alexei raised his hands, finger-spelt his name, then signed a bunch of colours and days of the week. “Lessons online, they not moving very fast.”

Nursey felt his cheeks heat up because…what? Ransom’s boyfriend had looked up ASL online? “Uh. No, um. No this is…I can hear you okay. It’s not really loud so we’re good.” And frankly Alexei had a nice voice, similar pitch to Ransom’s which was easy for Nursey to hear. “Thanks for like…meeting me. I know you’re probably busy.”

“Is okay. Good to meet other guy,” Alexei said, then winked.

Nursey felt his cheeks flush. “Actually that’s um. So I came here…” He stopped, feeling young and stupid and way out of his league. “The other night there was a party, and Justin kissed me.”

Alexei stared, his eyes half-wide, like he was waiting for Nursey to drop a bombshell or give a punchline. When it was clear that was the end of it, he deflated a bit. “Oh. Yes, he’s tell me that before.” He waved his hand in a dismissive gesture.

“Um.” Nursey had kind of figured that much, but he really wasn’t done. “So I um. I’m going to call off this whole boyfriend thing with him because well…I knew I liked him before, and I liked the kiss and it got a little more heated than it should have and I let it happen even though I knew what I was doing. And I wanted it. And like dude if you want to punch me or whatever, you totally can.”

Alexei blinked at him, then chuckled and reached over, his long arms crossing the table, heavy fingers curled inward, brushing a knuckle over Nursey’s jawline for a brief second. “Why you think I’m wanting hurt you, myshka? We not on ice, not playing hockey, not get into fight.”

“But I…I just said…”

Alexei cocked his head to the side. “I’m thinking you and Justin need to talk. Need to say feelings. He’s being confused. You scared, say nothing to him, he thinks maybe you’re being…angry?”

Nursey shook his head. “What? Jesus, no that’s not…”

“Is thinking maybe he is being…obvious. He like you too, myshka.”

Nursey sat back, the air leaving his lungs. “But you and him…you’re…the two of you are…” He glanced round, remembering they were in public, though for being in the closet, Alexei was incredibly bold.

“I’m love him. He’s good person, very cute, is good to me. Not see me as big, scary hockey guy, you know?” Alexei shrugged one shoulder.

“Yeah,” Nursey said, feeling a sigh escape from his chest in a long rush. “Yeah, I know. He’s pretty good at not seeing people the way the rest of the world does.”

Alexei watched him for a moment, then pushed up from the table and walked away. Nursey felt his heart crack, and his stomach sink. He’d done it. Obviously he’d been too open, and Alexei was finished. It was worse, he decided, than being punched in the face. It was worse than being shouted at or accused of being a homewrecker.

And then, to his surprise, Alexei was back. He had two paper take-away cups and he was pouring the tea and latte into them. Then he was reaching his large hand out and pulling Nursey to his feet. “Come on, we talk better somewhere more quiet. You understanding better.”

“No really, I can hear you alright here and…” Nursey began to protest, but fell quiet at Alexei’s look when he realised that wasn’t what the other man meant.

His cheeks got hot, but he was profoundly aware that Alexei was still holding his hand, and pulling him to a small, soft mint-green sport car. Nursey got in, and Alexei switched it on, and they pulled out down the street.

Part of Nursey, the still-scared part of him that wasn’t sure what was happening, thought maybe Alexei was just taking him to a quieter place to murder him or something. The other part saw something soft and almost pained in Alexei’s expression. So he held his breath, and he waited.

Eventually they pulled down a street, a small U shape with a few houses on a short hill. Alexei pulled up to one, turned the car off, and looked over at Nursey. “Is my house. If you’re being okay, we can go inside, talk there. More open, you know. No one listen, make assume things about me, about you.”

“Jesus, yeah, the last thing I want is to out you if you’re…” he began.

Alexei shook his head. “No I’m…not say that right. Is me. People see you with me, might assume things, find you online.”

Nursey blinked. “But you’re not…out?”

Alexei shook his head. “No. But I’m not worry, is okay if people assume. Play hockey, people say things, make stories about me. Am used to it. But maybe they see guy, from college and they find you and say things online. So I’m want to be careful.”

Nursey felt shock hit him, unsure how to process the fact that Alexei wanted to protect _him_ over being outed. “Uh. Well. It’s fine, seriously. I’m out to like…my parents? Because my mums are you know…gay. Or whatever.”

Alexei blinked, then grinned and clapped him on the shoulder. “Is still good, we be careful. But we come inside, okay? We talk, maybe you feel better.”

Nursey wanted to decline, if only out of desire to protect both Ransom and Alexei because they were too nice, too good. He didn’t deserve to be some weird chess piece put between them just to keep some annoying University gossip mag off his back. He should have just ignored it, or handled it, or…whatever.

He felt his phone buzzing with the group text in his pocket, and probably a few more private ones. But he ignored it as he followed Alexei inside to the sparsely furnished place. He had plenty of room to sit, and a little breakfast nook off the side of the kitchen, but little décor apart from a mounted TV, and a bookshelf to the side covered in books, DVDs, and plants.

“I’m make tea. Give me two minute, okay?” Then he was gone, and Nursey plopped on the overstuffed sofa.

It was nicer than the one at the haus, or anywhere on campus really. It reminded him of home—a woodsy smell, and warm, and soft. He was homesick, suddenly. He missed his sisters, his mothers. He missed their advice, and the quiet signing instead of always having to say everything out loud. He missed the way they could always make him laugh, and how it never mattered what he’d done—they loved him all the same.

Leaning his head back, he fished his phone out and opened up his messages.

_Dex: Dude everyone is freaking out. You could have told me it was Ransom. I think Holster may actually kill him over this. Also Chowder is ready to break down your dorm room if you don’t answer at least one of us._

**Chill. I’m just visiting a friend, and I’ll be back. Everything’s cool. Sorry I didn’t tell you, I wasn’t sure who he wanted to know.**

_Ransom: I’m sorry, bro. I know I took it too far. Please don’t hate me. I told Holtzy and he’s so pissed at me for being a dick. Everyone’s worried._

_Ransom: Uh dude, you’re with Alexei? Look he knows, okay. Don’t panic. Just talk to me about this. Please. He’s telling me not to come down there but I swear, I am sorry._

Nursey stared at his phone in vague shock. Ransom was apologising even though it was entirely Nursey’s fault. And Holster was pissed off at Ransom. Chowder was losing it. Dex was hurt Nursey had kept it all a secret.

He’d fucked it all up. Royally.

He quickly opened up the group chat.

Nursey: Sorry, I had to take a couple days. Personal shit. Please don’t worry about me, I’ll come by the haus tonight. It’s chill, I swear.

He turned off his notifications, then opened his text to Ransom. **You don’t have to be sorry, it was all me. I just wanted to clear the air. I swear I won’t mess anything up between you two.**

_Nurse, dude, bro. Fuck. Just be safe, okay. Let Alyosha drive you if you need to._

“Myshka?”

Nursey snapped his head up at the sound of Alexei’s voice, and there was a cup of tea resting on a tray which Alexei set between them on the table. “Uh. Thanks.”

Alexei smiled. “Is good tea. Herbal.”

It smelt floral and nice, and the taste was subtle and just a hint of sweet. Nursey drank half before he was brave enough to look at Alexei again. “I texted Justin, so he knows everything’s cool.”

Alexei’s shoulders sagged in relief. “He was worry about you. So much. You important to him. Very important.”

Nursey’s cheeks went hot again, and he cursed himself for not being able to just stay in damn control. He moved to put his cup down, but it caught the edge of the table and spilt, dribbling hot tea over the back of his hand. He sighed, swiping it off on his jeans, and gave Alexei a sheepish smile.

“Um. Look…I’m glad you’re cool with what Justin and I were doing, but it’s a bad idea. I…” Was he really going to do this? Tell some guy that he had feelings for his boyfriend. Yeah. He was. “I like him. Like…more than friends, you know? And it’s wrong and if I had known I couldn’t keep it together…”

Alexei’s brow dipped in a frown. “Is okay. I’m know this, understand. Is better if Justin tell you other things, but is okay.”

Nursey swallowed thickly, then nodded, more confused than he’d ever been.

“Okay, come here now,” Alexei said, then opened his long arms. “Come, yes? Needing hug.”

Nursey blinked at him, but found himself moving, and letting himself be drawn against Alexei’s large, warm chest. Arms encircled him, and he hadn’t realised just how much he needed this moment until it was happening. His throat felt hot and tight, and he cleared it as he felt Alexei’s heart thumping against his cheek.

Alexei breathed out after a moment, hot against the side of Nursey’s face. And though it only lasted a second, Nursey was sure Alexei had nuzzled his nose up against Nursey’s curls.

He finally pulled away, and offered a faint grin, his cheeks still burning a little. “Thanks,” he said. “Uh. For you know, being cool about all this?”

Alexei chuckled and let his hand brush down Nursey’s arm. “Is okay now? We getting your car, you go home. Stop scaring friends, thinking you run away.”

Nursey rubbed the back of his neck and laughed sheepishly. “Uh yeah. I mean…that’s…prrrobably a good idea.”

And that’s what they did.

The conversation was small, easier than it was when Nursey first arrived. Alexei drove back round the corner from the café and Nursey said a hurried goodbye, then got into his car and headed back to Samwell.

*** 

It was late in the afternoon when he arrived, and though he’d promised to come to the haus, he wasn’t entirely sure he was ready to face anyone at all. So he sent off a text to the group, let himself into his dorm, and collapsed on the bed.

He said a small prayer of thanks that his roommate was out—and likely would be most of the night, and he curled into himself decided to sleep.

It lasted all of ten minutes before the lights were flashing and his phone was vibrating. With a sigh, he glanced at his hearing aids on the desk, decided fuck it, and opened the door. He was only half surprised, really, to find Dex and Chowder on the other side, arms crossed, matching scowls.

‘Let us in?’ Dex asked, his fingers sharp in their signs.

Nursey scrubbed a hand down his face, then sighed and stepped back. The pair of them took no time at all to cram themselves on his small bed, and tug him down with them. No one said anything, no one signed anything. They just laid there with him, and Nursey reminded himself he was profoundly lucky before the emotional toll hit him, and he drifted off to sleep.

*** 

When Nursey woke, it was very near evening, and there was only Chowder, tapping away on his phone. It was fairly dark, so Nursey fumbled for his hearing aids, then sat up halfway, not bothering with the lights. The cool dark was comforting and soft, and he needed it.

“Where’d Will go?”

“Food,” Chowder said, after verifying Nursey could hear him. “He figured you might be hungry when you woke up. Oh and also…” Nursey raised a brow, and Chowder kicked him. Hard.

“Bro!”

“You deserved that!” Chowder said, dropping his phone, crossing his arms tight over his chest. “You just…you just left, Der! Without saying anything. Didn’t go to class, didn’t answer your phone. Didn’t show up to practise. Not cool.”

Nursey sighed, dropping his head. “I had to work through some stuff.”

“Look. None of us mind that you and Ransom are…are dating, okay?” Chowder said, putting a hand on his elbow. “We’re happy for you. I mean, Holtzy’s kind of pissed but…”

“Yeah,” Nursey said, his throat dry. “I know I fucked up there and…”

“What? No,” Chowder said quickly. “He was pissed at Rans for not telling him. Then for like, embarrassing you in front of everyone by kissing you and like…outing you and stuff.”

Nursey’s eyes widened. “That’s not…he didn’t,” he spluttered. “Oh god. He thinks that?”

“Rans feels real bad too,” Chowder replied with a shrug. He shifted over and laid his head down on Nursey’s shoulder. “Are you gonna break up with him?”

Nursey snorted, then felt a fresh wash of pain because here he was lying to his best friend. To all of his best friends, and he hated it. All because what…he couldn’t take some stupid rumours about him and Dex. “I…wasn’t going to come out with him yet,” Nursey said, swallowing against the words. He sighed, his breath a little shaky. “Uh but the Swallow kept printing those stupid articles about me and Will. And uh…I thought…I mean I didn’t talk to him, but I didn’t want him to be bothered. It’s bad enough most people won’t even recognise aro as a thing, you know. Like he keeps hearing all that, oh just wait til you meet the right one bullshit. And then he cuddles with a friend like he has a right to do and suddenly it _has_ to be because we’re fucking? So Rans and I talked and uh…we had agreed we’d be a little public so the Swallow would lay off. But um. I panicked.” That last bit wasn’t entirely a lie. Not entirely the truth—but at least it was something.

Chowder sighed. “You know I don’t think he cared much. I mean, he told me it was annoying, but like…everything annoys him?”

Nursey snorted. “Yeah, it does.”

“And I think if anyone’s going to assume anything about him I don’t think he super cares if it’s one of us.”

Nursey closed his eyes and leant his head back against the wall. “It bothered me, too,” he confessed. “I don’t know why.”

“Maybe having people up in your business. It sucks. No one pays attention to me and Farms unless we need money for the haus. Swallow never printed anything on us because they don’t care. They wanted you and Will because…”

“Yeah,” Nursey said, not really wanting to hear it aloud right then. Samwell—one in four—and still grossly fixated on homo-romance like it was some sort of magazine trend instead of someone’s actual life.

“Oh! Also Jack and Shitty are coming to the game tomorrow night!” Chowder sounded way too excited, but it was infectious, and made Nursey smile. “Bitty’s really excited. We’re having a little kegster after. Nothing crazy.”

Nursey sighed, but he snuggled closer to Chowder to wait for Dex, and food, and a little more comfort.

*** 

When Nursey arrived for practise, he was immediately cornered by Holster who looked sheepish and apologetic. He wavered a minute, his face conflicted, then he raised his hands and signed, ‘I was a dick. I’m sorry.’

Nursey laughed. ‘It’s okay.’

Holster shook his head. ‘It’s not okay. You said you and Dex weren’t a couple and I started getting caught up in the magazine and it was a dick move. And I’m sorry. You and Ransom are cute together, and you look happy and I’m happy for you.’

Nursey swallowed against a lump in his throat, but managed a smile and a nod. ‘Thanks.’

“We good?” Holster asked aloud.

Nursey clapped him on the shoulder. “We’re good.”

*** 

Just before the game, Ransom—who hadn’t really looked Nursey in the eye properly since the party, pulled him aside. “Bro, like…are we good? I don’t want to fuck anything up tonight on the ice.”

Nursey shook his head. “I’m chill. We’re good,” he said. “Like…none of that was your fault, okay? I didn’t…we should have talked more and I didn’t even know I was going to freak out. I’m sorry I uh…went to see um…”

Ransom looked him in the eye, something flashing there. “I’m glad you did,” and though Nursey had to strain to hear him since the ambient noise was loud from Faber, he was certain he heard total sincerity there. “He’s pretty good at calming shit down. And uh. We can talk later. Do you still want to…you know?”

“I mean…yeah?” Nursey said, then felt shitty about it. “I do. It feels pretty bad lying to everyone but…”

“I’m still good if you’re still good,” Ransom said.

Nursey wanted to hash it out more, but the game was starting, and he needed to focus. The talk did make him feel better, though. And when Holster saw things with him and Rans were better, things went smoothly on the ice.

They won the game, and at the party later, Nursey let himself sink into Ransom’s side, and nothing felt wrong for a long while.

*** 

It was easy again to maintain. Midterms and Thanksgiving on the horizon, they were busy and no one was really paying attention to who was fucking whom—or reported to be.

Things got a little bit upended though, when Nursey found himself sat on the disgusting sofa between Chowder and Dex, and Bitty was fidgeting and using a mixture of speech and shaky signs to confess that he and Jack were in a relationship. It was secret, and of course they all promised to keep quiet about it. Inside, Nursey was elated for Bitty. The pining had been obvious, and at one point he was fairly sure his ex-captain had it bad for Bitty as well, but nothing ever happened.

Though apparently it had. In secret.

And Nursey realised he wasn’t the only one who’d been keeping up a slight lie.

“So Jack’s comin’ to Hausgiving,” Bitty was saying to him and Dex in the kitchen. Bitty and Dex were rolling out cookie dough to make hockey shapes for their bake sale. “He uh…implied there may be one or more Falconers coming with him.”

Nursey, who had a cup of coffee halfway to his mouth, froze. ‘Repeat that?’ he asked with one hand.

Bitty put his rolling pin down and did so in sign. ‘That okay? Will you be here?’

Nursey had actually been considering visiting his mothers, but being that one of them was English, and the other was Pakistani, and hadn’t even come to the States until he was eight, they weren’t particularly attached to that holiday. They’d celebrated a little when he was younger—usually with his Ammi’s colleagues at the publishing house. They never did anything on their own though, and he was hoping for something low-key.

Only other Falcs could very well mean Alexei and although Nursey hadn’t talked to him much beyond a few tweets and the occasional text message, he felt a strange craving to see him. Maybe it was just a little bit of masochism seeping in, he wasn’t sure. Because watching Justin and Alexei exchange secret glances, and sneak away, and knowing full well what was happening behind closed doors would hurt.

His crush on Ransom had only gotten worse, in spite of things being calmer, and more clear.

Yet he found himself lifting the hand not holding his mug and signing, ‘I’ll be there.’

He was screwed. And he only had himself to blame.

*** 

“Uh so…Bits said Jack’s coming to Hausgiving?” Nursey asked over the rim of his latte.

Ransom’s eyebrows rose, and he stopped over-dunking his biscotti into his tea latte. “Oh. Um. Yeah. Alexei…”

“Yeah, Bits kind of implied there might be one more more Falcs with him?” Nursey said, trying to sound casual. “I just…I’ll be there, but I promise I won’t…we don’t have to be weird or at all touchy-feely with each other.”

Ransom chuckled a little, shaking his head before he bit into his soggy biscuit. “Bro, it’s fine. Like…he’s totally on board with all this. Take your own advice and chill.”

Nursey rolled his eyes and flipped him off, then blushed hard and giggled when Ransom trapped his calf between both of his feet. “You’re a dick.”

Ransom grinned. “Yeah, but you love that about me.”

Nursey did. And that was the problem.

*** 

He was a mess in the days leading up to Hausgiving. Neither of his parents much cared that he wasn’t showing up, and a tiny part of him was disappointed they hadn’t insisted he come home. At least in that case he’d have an excuse to escape and avoid potential pain—or at the very least making a complete fool of himself.

Instead he found himself in the kitchen, roped into mashing potatoes and throwing little marshmallows on top of mashed up sweet potatoes while Bitty and Dex kneaded bread dough for rolls.

Luckily the haus was in an uproar at the potential of seeing actual, real live NHL players that weren’t Jack Zimmermann—who was hard to look at like a celebrity when you’d seen him coming out of the bedroom with low slung boxers, scratching the side of his ass, and his hair stuck up in every direction.

Chowder was chattering non-stop by the time Cait arrived, and as more and more of the team showed, the noise got to the point Nursey’s hearing aids were more annoying than helpful, and he pulled them off, shoving them into his case and tucking them into his bag. Going back to the food, Nursey tried to keep an eye on what was going on round him, but it was nice to get lost in chopping and mashing and seasoning.

It wasn’t until he felt a warm hand drop on his shoulder that he looked up, and realised he was staring into soft, half-lidded brown eyes belonging to a very tall, very large Russian man.

“Oh uh,” he said.

Alexei’s eyes flickered to his ears, then he stood back and signed with a proud smile, ‘I practised.’

Nursey couldn’t help a tiny laugh, and he wiped his hands on a bit of kitchen paper before he signed back, ‘Good job. Not too hard?’

Alexei frowned as he deciphered the signs, then shrugged. ‘I have an online tutor.’ He spelt the name Nicole, then gave her sign name. ‘She’s Deaf.’

Nursey felt something warm in his chest. He expected his team to at least try, but Alexei was some rich hockey player who wasn’t really involved in his life. He expected the really shitty ASL student videos on YouTube at very best which would give the watcher some basic, regional signs in Signed English instead of ASL but this…

He wasn’t really sure what to say, so he just sort of stood there with his mouth half-open until Alexei offered to help. Nursey glanced over and saw Ransom leaning against the counter chatting to Holster. Their eyes met, and Ransom looked over at Alexei who was trying to steal an apron from Bitty, then gave Nursey a very soft smile, and a nod.

Nursey swallowed thickly, then found himself sharing the mashing bowl with Alexei.

Feeling him this close, his cologne invading Nursey’s nostrils, the heat of his body nearly pressed against him…it was…a lot. And Nursey wasn’t dense, and he tried to be self-aware, so really it only took a minute before he realised what that swooping feeling was in his gut. And the rest—that craving to see him, the little blush he got every time Alexei tweeted him—well it all clicked into place.

And shit.

Shit.

Having a crush on Ransom was bad enough, and now there was this.

It was almost like he hated himself.

He eventually found an excuse to leave the kitchen, and hurried out the back door for some air. He fiddled round on his phone, opening and closing Bubble Witch without starting up a level, and he didn’t look up when he felt vibrations of footsteps under his hands from the porch.

A body settled to his left, and there was another shadow of a person leant against the railing. After a long time, Nursey dared to look up and saw Ransom tucked against his side.

‘What’s wrong?’

Nursey shook his head. ‘Nothing,’ he signed flippantly. ‘Just hot in there.’

‘Liar.’ He noticed Rans wasn’t speaking at all to interpret for Alexei, who was watching carefully, but didn’t look like he was demanding to be let in to the conversation. ‘Tell me.’

Nursey scrubbed a hand down his face. ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea.’

Ransom hummed, glanced back at Alexei who simply nodded at him, and then he turned back. ‘I like you.’

Nursey blinked at him, then blinked again, like maybe he could suddenly see different signs than the ones Ransom was using. ‘What?’

Ransom laughed, and Nursey could hear the faint, deep rumble of it. Seeing Ransom’s face lit up like that was one of his favourite things in the world, and god he hated himself for thinking that when Ransom’s boyfriend was half a foot away. ‘I like you. Alexei likes you. We think maybe you’re upset because you like us too?’

Nursey was frozen with shock. “Um,” he said aloud, and the noise startled Alexei whose gaze darted down to him sharply. “Okay you like me or…”

‘Like if you wanted to go upstairs and make out with us until dinner was ready, we’d totally be okay with it.’ Ransom’s grin softened, and for the first time there was a hint of uncertainty. ‘I’ve had a crush on your for a while.’

Nursey’s eyes widened. “Me?”

Ransom shrugged. ‘Yeah, you. I didn’t think you were interested. I told Alexei before we started dating. He said he understood. He liked you too, but neither of us were sure if you were…interested.’

Nursey’s eyes darted up to Alexei who obviously had no idea what Ransom was saying, but he looked determined and it was obvious the two of them had decided on this.

“So is this like…a sex thing or…?”

Alexei was suddenly there, kneeling down in front of him, one large hand drifting up to touch the side of his face, then his shoulder. “No. Is okay I…speak?”

Nursey nodded. “Yeah you’re good.”

Alexei wet his lips with the tip of his tongue and then said, “We want more. Want to date. I’m want buy you both flowers, and we skype. We spend holiday together. Have you both as boyfriend if you are…if you are want me too? I know you like Justin, and is okay if you are just wanting…”

“No,” Nursey blurted, then flushed and shook his head and laughed. “I mean…I think…God I don’t even know how any of this would work? But um…it doesn’t mean I’m not interested. Just uh…we should talk more?”

Ransom nodded eagerly. ‘Please,’ he signed.

Alexei grinned brightly. “I’m remember that one. Please.” He mimicked it, and Nursey got lost staring at those huge hands and imagining what they might feel like on him.

“It’s still like…secret, right? I mean we all know about Jack and Bits but you two…”

Alexei shook his head. “Is secret for now. Better that way. Safe. But I’m not keep forever.” He brushed his hand over Nursey’s cheek once more, and Nursey realised how bold the gesture was, how anyone could just glance out a window and there they were…

“Okay,” he said. “We can uh…talk later?”

‘Holster’s going to March’s later,’ Ransom signed. ‘We have the attic to ourselves.’

Nursey grinned, then reached out and let his fingers tangle with Alexei’s before dropping it and pushing himself up to stand. “Let’s go help then. The sooner we eat, the sooner everyone gets the hell out and the sooner we can…”

“Netflix and chill?” Ransom asked as he slid a hand round Nursey’s waist.

Nursey blushed even harder, but when Ransom leaned in to kiss him, he tipped his head into it. It was quick, and soft, a little chaste but held so much promise. Just like the heat in Alexei’s eyes as he watched the pair of them. When they broke apart Nursey realised this was happening. He could have this, and not fake, and not just for a moment. But have it.

He let Ransom keep him close as they went in, and tried to rush the night along.

*** 

**Epilogue**

Nursey’s eyes opened, and he groaned as a stream of light made it past the blinds. He had no idea how early it is, but he knew he wouldn’t have minded at least two more hours. His body felt deliciously sore, and there were months of summer stretched out in front of him—no real obligations, no rush, no hurry, no prying eyes.

A warm hand fell against the small of his back, heavy fingers walking up his spine, then back down, then a wide palm cupping his ass. He laughed into the pillow and turned, giving a sleepy grin to Alexei who looked well-fucked and tousled.

“Morning,” he said.

“Good morning, myshka.” Alexei leant in, and in spite of soured morning breath, and the pair of them still smelling a little of sex and sweat, kissed Nursey slow and deep.

They were alone in Alexei’s house for the next two weeks before Rans finished up visiting with his family. He’d be getting settled in Providence, getting ready to start med school in a few months. He’d been wavering so long on it, but Alexei had mentioned sport medicine, and getting a job in the NHL and suddenly the idea had more appeal.

Nursey had gotten Lardo’s dibs, so he’d be at the haus with Bitty, Dex, Chowder, and Tango which wasn’t ideal. Mostly because there were so many people now he was missing fiercely. But Alexei and Ransom would be a short drive away—and he’d head up on weekends, and on holidays, and on random stressful evenings.

Alexei had cleared out space for Ransom’s things, but he’d also cleared out several drawers and racks in the walk-in for Nursey, and it was that moment Nursey realised they’d meant it. It wasn’t for fun. It wasn’t for a moment.

They wanted to keep him.

He had no idea how he’d tell his parents. He wasn’t entirely sure they’d get on board with polyamory straight away—but he was lucky enough they loved him in a way that would support him, whatever he chose. And looking at his boyfriends, he could do a lot worse.

Nursey pulled back, cupping Alexei’s cheek and stroking his thumb over a small thatch of barely-there freckles under his left eye. He leant in and kissed them, then kissed the tip of Alexei’s large nose, then travelled down to his mouth and peppered his lips with little pecks until Alexei groaned and rolled over, pinning him.

His hand drifted down the centre of Nursey’s chest, and then paused at his naval, hand playing with the dark hair. “Wanting breakfast?”

Nursey was half roused, but mostly he was just content, and happy, and warm and so safe. “Yeah, okay. Coffee?”

‘Coffee,’ Alexei repeated in sign after he pushed himself up and to the end of the bed. ‘Food?’

‘Eggs,’ Nursey replied, then flopped his hand down to show he wasn’t going to get up to help.

Alexei snorted and rolled his eyes as he stood. He fished round for boxers, then leant back over and kissed Nursey once, twice, three long times. ‘Justin’s going to skype later,’ he signed.

Nursey nodded his fist in a yes, then watched as Alexei sauntered out of the room. Putting his arms behind his head, he let out a contented sigh. His phone was blinking with a text, surely from their other boyfriend with his usual morning hello from Toronto. Soon there would be coffee and scrambled eggs. Maybe he and Alexei would go running, then cuddle on the sofa and watch TV. Maybe they’d read. Maybe they’d go down to the water.

A hundred maybes, and all of them wonderful.

He didn’t realise how good life could get until it had gone so wrong—and then so right. 

Nursey felt the warmth in every limb, turned onto his side, and grinned into his pillow.


End file.
